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Warlock of Firetop Mountain

This is a sample of the d20 adventure version of the Fighting Fantasy classic Warlock of Firetop Mountain. A more detailed preview, with maps, can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

34. Pay the Ferryman (EL 2)

If the characters open the door, read them the following:

The passage widens and you find yourselves on the south bank of a fast flowing river. There appears to be four ways to cross the river; to the left, there is a rusted bell that bears a sign reading ‘ferry service 2gp please ring’. Moored on the south bank there is a small raft with a long pole resting by it. A very rickety old bridge crosses the river to the right of you, or there is of course swimming.

The Bell

While standing on the riverbank, ask the characters to make a skill (Spot) check (DC10). If they are successful, read them the following:

You can see turbulence in the water off to your right. It looks as though a huge shoal of fish is in a feeding frenzy.

If the characters see the Piranha turbulence, ask them to make another skill (Spot) check (DC25). If they are successful they can see a pair of reptilian eyes in the water by the north bank.

If the characters ring the bell, read the following:

The bell gives a dull clank. After a few moments a withered old man can be seen on the north bank. He climbs into a boat on his side and rows slowly over to the south bank, moors the boat and limps over to where you are standing. He mumbles “3 gold pieces”.

If the characters complain about the cost (it does say 2gp on the sign) the ferryman mumbles something about inflation. If they pay the money, Burgess (the ferryman) will take them across the river. The boat only takes 4 people (3 plus Burgess). If there are more characters burgess will have to make extra trips at 3gp per trip

If the characters threaten Burgess the ferryman in any way, he starts to grow angry and his shape changes into a hybrid Wererat.

Burgess the Wererat (hybrid), medium sized/ medium shape changer: CR 2; Size M (5 ft., 6 in. tall); HD 1D8 +1; hp 8; Init +3 (+3 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 16 (+3 Dex, +3 natural); Attack +0 melee (unarmed strike 1D3 subdual) or +4 melee (bite 1D4); face/ reach: 5ft. by 5ft. / 5ft.;SA Curse of lycanthrope; SQ Rat empathy, scent, damage reduction 15/ silver; SV Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +4; AL LE; Str 10, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 0; Languages Spoken: common; Skills and feats: Climb +14, Listen +8, Move silently +6, search +8 and Spot +8; multiattack, weapon finesse (bite). Equipment: none (see MM Appendix 3- Templates, Lycanthrope for more information on Wererats)

If the characters refuse to pay the money and do not attack Burgess, he gets back into the boat mumbling about wasting his time. He rows back to the north bank and disappears through a door in the rock. He will not be encountered again.

The Raft

While standing on the riverbank, ask the characters to make a skill (Spot) check (DC10). If they are successful, read them the following:

You can see turbulence in the water off to your right. It looks as though a huge shoal of fish is in a feeding frenzy.

If the characters see the Piranha turbulence, ask them to make another skill (Spot) check (DC25). If they are successful they can see a pair of reptilian eyes in the water by the north bank.

If anyone attempts to punt across using the Raft and large pole, read the following:

Punting the Raft across the river seems quite easy, until you reach the middle of the river. The Raft seems to take on a will all of its own and starts to bob up and down dangerously as if it was trying to tip you out.

The Raft is animated. If all of the characters either fall or jump into the river, the Raft returns to the south bank. If after five rounds anyone has managed to stay on the Raft, it returns to the south bank.

Everyone on the Raft must make a skill (Balance) check (DC15) or fall in the river.

The characters may only attempt to swim down river or across it. It is impossible to swim up river as it is flowing too fast. To swim in the river a character must make a successful skill (Swim) check (DC15). If the characters who are swimming (due to falling in) decide to swim across the river to the other side, please see the section on swimming. If the characters fail their Swim rolls they are washed further into the Mountain where they drown.

If swimming characters decide to swim further into the Mountain they will drown. This is because the tunnel gets lower and lower until it is completely full of water with no breathing space.

The Bridge

While standing on the riverbank, ask the characters to make a skill (Spot) check (DC10). If they are successful, read them the following:

You can see turbulence in the water off to your right. It looks as though a huge shoal of fish is in a feeding frenzy.

If the players see the Piranha turbulence, ask them to make another skill (Spot) check (DC25). If they are successful they can see a pair of reptilian eyes in the water by the north bank.

If the characters look at the bridge, read them the following:

The timbers of the bridge are rotting and decayed from years of neglect. Several planks are missing from the mid-section of the bridge.

As each character reaches the middle of the Bridge ask them to make an ability (Luck) check (DC10). If they are unsuccessful, a plank of wood that the character is walking on breaks. The character must make a skill (Balance) check (DC15) or fall into the river.

The characters may only attempt to swim down river or across it. It is impossible to swim up river as it is flowing too fast. To swim in the river a character must make a successful skill (Swim) check (DC15). If the characters that are swimming (due to falling in) decide to swim across the river to the other side, please see the section on swimming. If the characters fail their Swim rolls they are washed further into the Mountain where they drown.

If swimming characters decide to swim further into the Mountain they will drown. This is because the tunnel gets lower and lower until it is completely full of water with no breathing space.

Swimming

While standing on the riverbank, ask the characters to make a skill (Spot) check (DC10). If they are successful, read them the following:

You can see turbulence in the water off to your right. It looks as though a huge shoal of fish is in a feeding frenzy.

If the characters see the Piranha turbulence, ask them to make another skill (Spot) check (DC25). If they are successful they can see a pair of reptilian eyes in the water by the north bank.

The characters may only attempt to swim down river or across it. It is impossible to swim up river, the river is flowing too fast. To swim in the river a character must make a successful skill (Swim) check (DC15). If the characters fail their Swim rolls they are washed further into the Mountain where they drown.

If swimming characters decide to swim further into the Mountain they will drown. This is because the tunnel gets lower and lower until it is completely full of water with no breathing space.

If the characters are successful, read them the following:

The water is fast flowing and icy cold. Swimming the width of the underground river is difficult. You predict you must be halfway across; then you notice turbulence in the water off to your right. Before you, two sinister reptilian eyes break the surface of the water, moving closer.

The eyes belong to a Crocodile that closes in and attacks.

Crocodile, medium-sized animal (aquatic): CR 2; Size M (10 ft., 6 in. long); HD 3D8 +9; hp 25; Init +1 (+1 Dex); Spd swim 30 ft.; AC 15 (+1 Dex, +4 natural); Attack +6 melee (bite 1D8 +6) or +6 melee (tail slap 1D12 +6); face/ reach: 5ft. by 5ft. / 5ft.; SA improved grab; SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +2; AL N; Str 19, Dex 12, Con 17, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 2; Languages Spoken: none; Skills and feats: Hide +7, Listen +5 and Spot +5. Equipment: none (see MM Appendix 1- Animals for more information on Crocodiles)

While the fight ensues, ask the characters to make an ability (Luck) check (DC10). If they are unlucky, the fight attracts the creatures that are causing the turbulence…

Piranhas!

Piranhas are not treated like normal monsters.

Piranhas are tiny fish that swim in shoals of thousands (Size/ reach 10ft by 10ft/ 5ft.). They are carnivorous creatures with very sharp teeth and have an excellent sense of smell in the water. Piranhas can detect the presence of any creature in the water within 50ft., and when they do they instinctively close in to feed (speed; swim 30ft). The thousands of tiny creatures take it in turns to attack their prey, biting of chunks of flesh. (Characters being attacked by the Piranhas take 1D6 points of damage every round they spend within the reach of the Piranhas. In order to stop taking the damage the characters caught in the feeding frenzy must either out swim the shoal of Piranha or leave the water). The turbulence caused by the feeding frenzy of the fish reduces the vision of anyone caught in it to 10ft.

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